• Haitians are part of our shared humanity, and deserve the same security and dignity as any other people,” he said.

President William Ruto has reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to supporting Haiti’s aspirations for sustainable peace, saying the country stands ready to aid the transition to a successor mission once the current mandate of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission expires.

Ruto was speaking at a High-Level Meeting on Haiti held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 22, 2025.

As the UN Security Council deliberates on the future of the Haiti mission, Ruto made it clear that the success of any successor arrangement will hinge on three essential requirements: a clear mandate, a predictable resource and equipment package, and sufficient logistical support.

“Without these, gains made will be lost and momentum for restoration of security elusive,” he said.

The Kenyan-led MSS Mission, authorized in October 2023, was deployed to assist Haiti’s national police in combating gang violence. According to Ruto, the mission has made historic progress despite operating under severe constraints.

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“Gangs have been driven from the airport and port, police headquarters and academy restored, roads reopened, while schools and hospitals are back in operation. These gains are proof that Haiti’s security challenge can be solved,” he said.

Ruto has noted that the MSS has achieved these milestones while operating at only 40 per cent of its intended strength without full personnel, force multipliers, or adequate logistical support.

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Even under these constraints, he said, the gangs, cowards by nature, have retreated when confronted.

“With the MSS mandate expiring in 11 days, I urge the international community, and especially the P5, to ensure a responsible transition that protects the people of Haiti and secures the progress already made.

Haitians are part of our shared humanity, and deserve the same security and dignity as any other people,” he said.

So far, only about 1,000 officers have been deployed — far short of the 2,500 initially planned. The force remains under-equipped and under-funded, limiting its ability to secure territory or dismantle gang networks.

Some UN member states, including China and Russia, have expressed skepticism about expanding the mission without a clear political transition in Haiti.